One of the first official epitaphs for a bull
Referred to by his “Horus names” and as “King of Upper and Lower Egypt,” “the perfect god, Lord of the Two Lands” offers bread and beer to “Apis-Atum, who wears his two horns on his head.” Prior to the Saite Period, Serapeum steles were dedicated by private individuals. Psammetichus I, the first king of the 26th Dynasty, had major renovation work done in the Serapeum, and royal steles may have appeared on this occasion.
The traceability of the sacred bulls
The stele, which commemorates the solemn burial of the bull, mentions all the major dates in its life:
“Year 23, 1st month of Shemu, day 15, under the Majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khenemibre, given life, eternally:
[There follows a description of the funeral: after embalming, the sacred bull was dragged on a sledge to its tomb. It was placed in a granite sarcophagus commissioned by the king, who also provided the shroud, amulets, and funerary furniture.]
The Majesty of this god departed for heaven in Year 23, 3rd month of Peret, day 6. He was born in Year 5, 1st month of Akhet, day 7. He was taken to the domain of Ptah in the 2nd month of Shemu, day 18. The duration of this god’s perfect life: 18 years, 1 month, and 6 days. Made for him by Amasis, given life and authority, eternally.”
Such a wealth of dates on the royal steles for the Apis bulls helped establish Egyptian chronology from the 26th Dynasty to the end of the Greek period.